Page "Experiment" Paragraph 17

In the design of experiments, two or more " treatments " are applied to estimate the difference between the mean responses for the treatments.

For example, an experiment on baking bread could estimate the difference in the responses associated with quantitative variables, such as the ratio of water to flour, and with qualitative variables, such as strains of yeast.

Experimentation is the step in the scientific method that helps people decide between two or more competing explanations – or hypotheses.

These hypotheses suggest reasons to explain a phenomenon, or predict the results of an action.

An example might be the hypothesis that " if I release this ball, it will fall to the floor ": this suggestion can then be tested by carrying out the experiment of letting go of the ball, and observing the results.

Formally, a hypothesis is compared against its opposite or null hypothesis (" if I release this ball, it will not fall to the floor ").

The null hypothesis is that there is no explanation or predictive power of the phenomenon through the reasoning that is being investigated.

Once hypotheses are defined, an experiment can be carried out-and the results analysed-in order to confirm, refute, or define the accuracy of the hypotheses.